There are between 250,000 and 350,000 people living in the United States with spinal cord injuries, and there are approximately 12,000 new cases each year. Improved emergency care for people with spinal cord injuries and aggressive treatment and rehabilitation can minimize damage to the nervous system and even restore some function to the patient.
Spinal cord injury primarily affects young adults. The average age of injury is 41 years old, and over 80% of spinal cord injuries occur among males. Rehabilitation programs combine physical therapies with skill-building activities and counseling to provide social and emotional support.
The remaining physical functions need to be exercised so the body as a whole can benefit from the physiological adaptations of exercise that will improve overall health. Spinal cord injury patients die most often from heart and lung diseases, as well as infections. These can be prevented, in part, through exercise. There is also a growing body of scientific evidence demonstrating that exercise results in biological adaptations that may benefit the repair and regeneration of neurons in the spinal cord.
A large number of spinal cord injury survivors who could benefit greatly from a suitable program of physical activity are barred from participation because of incorrect perceptions about their functional capacity and undue concern about causing further harm. Commonly expressed concerns are exacerbation of spasticity and contractures, perceived inability to perform basic movements safely, and a substantial risk of falling. The notion that exercise (particularly resistance training) might exacerbate spasticity has now been refuted, and there is good evidence that individually tailored resistance or aerobic exercise programs can be performed safely after stroke or spinal cord injury. If such programs are not initiated, the reduced ability for movement and perceived barriers to exercise commonly lead to a progressive decrease in the individual's overall physical activity, with all the adverse effects of concomitant physical deconditioning.